THE GRASS IS NOT ALWAYS GREENER ON THE SEPTIC TANK

By The Rev. Don Dunavant
St. Padre Pio,
San Angelo, TX

MATTHEW 13: 24-30, 36- 43

I HAVE LIVED IN THE COUNTRY A GREAT PART OF MY LIFE. SOME OF THE PLACES WE LIVED DID NOT HAVE INDOOR PLUMBING. WE HAD OUTHOUSES FOR THE BATHROOM. WE DID HAVE RUNNING WATER. IF YOU WANTED RUNNING WATER YOU RAN DOWN TO THE WINDWILL AND TOTED IT BACK TO THE HOUSE.

WE DID LIVE IN HOME THAT HAD INDOOR PLUMBING AND RUNNING WATER. WE HAD INDOOR BATHROOMS. THESE HOMES HAD SEPTIC TANKS TO TAKE CARE OF THE WASTE WATER FROM THE HOUSE. YOU COULD ALWAYS TELL WHERE THE SEPTIC TANK WAS BECAUSE THE GRASS WAS ALWAY GREENER WHERE THE SEPTIC TANK WAS. THE ROOTS OF THE GRASS WOULD REACH DOWN TO THE WASTE WATER. IN THE POORER COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD WHERE THEY DO NOT HAVE A SEPTIC TANKS THE HUMAN WASTE PRODUCTS ARE USED TO FERTILIZE THE CROPS. THEY ALSO USE WASTE PRODUCTS SUCH AS FISH SKINS, BONES AND FISH HEADS ARE USED TO FERTILIZE THEIR CROPS ALSO.

BUT IN THIS STORY FOUND IN THE GOSPEL MATTHEW. HERE WE FIND A SOWER WHO WENT OUT TO SOW SOME SEEDS. HE USED THE METHOD OF BROADCASTING TO SCATTER THE SEEDS TO THE VARIOUS SOILS. THE SOWER WOULD REACH INTO A BAG CONTAINING SEEDS AND WOULD SPRINKLE THE SEEDS INTO THE AIR AND THEY WOULD FALL WHEREVER THEY FALL. THEY FELL INTO OR ON TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOIL.

WHEN I MOVED TO THIS COUNTRY COMMUNITY WE HAD A SEPTIC SYSTEM FOR OUR HOUSE.
THERE WAS NO GRASS ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE WHERE THE SEPTIC TANK IS. I DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED SOME GRASS ON THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE SINCE THEY WAS NOTHING ON THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE. IT WAS A BALD PIESCE OF GROUND. I WENT OUT AND CLEANED THIS PLOT OF LAND. I WATERED IT BEFORE I PLANTED AND GRASS.

I WENT TO THE NURSERY AND I BOUGHT THE BEST GRASS SEEDS I COULD AFFORD. I GOT MY SEEDS AND MIXED THEM WITH SOME CORNMEAL SO I COULD SEE WHERE THE SEEDS WENT. I CAREFULLY RANKED AND PATTED THE SEEDS IN THE GROUND. I WATERTED THE GRASS CAREFULLY NOT TO OVERWATER.I SAT BACK AND WAITED. GUESS WHAT NO GRASS EVER CAME UP.

I REMEMBER READING THIS PARABLE SEVERAL TIME WHILE GROWING UP. IT NEVER MADE ANY SENSE. HOWEVER, ONE DAY I WAS READING MY BIBLE AND IT MADE SENSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.

I HAVE BEEN INTRIGUED WITH THE IDEA OF THE SOIL. THERE IS THE HARD GROUND, SHALLOW ROCKY SOIL, THE SOIL FILLED WITH WEEDS AND THE GOOD SOIL. I BELIEVE IF YOU LOOK IN SOME TRANSLATIONS YOU WILL FIND THE TERMS SOIL, GROUND AND DIRT. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TERMS? GROUND IS THE HARDPACKED GROUND THAT MAKES UP TRAILS, ROADS, PATHS ANY PLACE THAT SERVES AS A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. DIRT IS WHAT YOU FIND IN THE FEILDS. BUT WHEN I THINK OF SOIL IS DIRT THAT HAS BEEN TREATED TO HELP PRODUCT BETTER CROPS.
THE SOIL, GROUND AND DIRT IN THIS STORY IS ALSO REPRESENTIVE OF HOW THE WORD OF GOD IS SOWN IN OUR HEARTS AND THE LIVES WE LIVE. HOW IS THE WORD OF GOD GROWING IN YOUR LIFE? THE REAL QUESTION BEHIND THIS STORY IS WHAT KIND OF SOIL ARE YOU? IS YOUR HEART HARD AND PACK DOWN AND NOT GROWING IN THE GRACE OF GOD? IS YOUR HEART SHALOW THE SEEDS OF GOD'S WORD WAS PALNTED BUT QUICKLY THE ROOTS DID NOT DIED BECAUSE OF LACK OF CARE? THERE WAS THE SOIL THAT WAS FULL OF WEEDS. DO YOU HAVE WEEDS THAT HAS AFFECTED THE GROWTH OF GOD'S WORD IN YOUR LIFE? THERE IS THE GOOD SOIL THAT HAS THE RIGHT AMOUNT THINGS FOR THE SEEDS TO TAKE ROOT. WHAT KIND OF CROP ARE YOUR PRODUCING?

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD THIS DAY!!!!